The middle of the Giants’ order will look to stay hot Wednesday night
against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks and keep San Francisco’s slim
wild-card chances alive.

Only four major league teams have scored fewer runs than San Francisco
(84-73), and by totaling four runs in three straight home losses to the Chicago
Cubs late last week, the Giants’ playoff hopes were essentially ruined.

Series at a Glance

Molina missed two of those losses with a finger injury, but returned Tuesday
and sparked San Francisco’s offense. The veteran catcher and Sandoval combined
for eight hits, three homers and six RBIs in the Giants’ 8-4 victory over
Arizona, keeping them five games behind wild card-leading Colorado with five to
play.

The Giants have 117 homers this season - second-fewest in the majors - with
Sandoval and Molina accounting for 43 of them.

San Francisco’s 3-4 combination has been at its best this season against the
Diamondbacks (68-89). Molina is hitting .409 with five of his 20 homers and 15
RBIs in 12 games versus Arizona, while Sandoval is batting .509 with three
homers and 12 RBIs.

The Giants will seek their second win in a week over Arizona rookie Kevin
Mulvey(notes) (0-2, 7.41 ERA), who will be seeking his first win in his fourth start
since coming over from Minnesota in a Sept. 1 trade. Mulvey’s latest outing was
his best, as he gave up three runs over six innings last Wednesday in a 5-2 home
loss to San Francisco.

The right-hander allowed two hits - Juan Uribe’s(notes) two-run homer was the big
blow - but walked four for the second straight game. Two of those came with
Sandoval at the plate, while Molina didn’t face Mulvey.

“It was just a more confident, direct approach at the strike zone, which we
hadn’t seen,” manager A.J. Hinch told the Diamondbacks’ official Web site. “So
that was a good adjustment for him.”

Right-handers are hitting .424 against Mulvey.

Brad Penny(notes) (3-1, 3.31) will get the ball for the Giants. He was brilliant in
his last outing for the fourth time in five starts since signing with San
Francisco in late August.

Penny had been chased after allowing seven runs over 2 2-3 innings against
Los Angeles on Sept. 19, but gave up only one run and seven hits over eight
innings Thursday against the Cubs. Brian Wilson’s(notes) seventh blown save, however,
cost Penny the win and dealt the Giants a critical 3-2 loss.

Even though he’d only thrown 94 pitches, Penny didn’t have a problem with
Bochy’s decision to give the ball to Wilson.

“Nine times out of 10 he saves that game,” Penny told the Giants’ official
Web site. “I’d give the ball to him in the ninth anytime he wanted it.

“To me, it’s a no-brainer. Every manager in the game would go to his closer
right there, especially in a one-run game.”

Penny hasn’t faced the Diamondbacks since 2007 while with the Dodgers, but
he’s 8-3 with a 2.13 ERA versus Arizona. Major league strikeout leader Mark
Reynolds(notes) is 3 for 5 with a homer and two strikeouts against Penny.